Escape hatch for submarines



Oct. 28, 1930. H. E. GRIESHABER ESCAPE HATCH FOR SUBMARINESr Filed Aug. 5, 1929 24 sheets-sheet 1 Jim/Mm gw;

Oct. 28, 1930. H. E. GRIESHABER ESCAPE HATCH FOR SUBMARINES 2 lsheets-sheet v2 Filed Aug. 5, 1929 Patented Oct. 218, 193() UNITED STATES HUGO E. GEIESHABER, OE NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, VAssIeNoR To ELECTRICEOAT COMPANY, or GEOTON, OONNECTICUT,ACOEPOEAT1ON OENEW JERSEY ,g

OFFICE/f y uEsoAFE HATCH EOE sUAEMAaTNEs Original, application `filed May A7, 19278,`Seria1 This invention relates to submarine boats, and more particularly to anescape hatch structure therefor.V t l In the case of submarine boats which, due to collision or other cause, have been disabled and are unable to rise to the surface,`it is desirable to provide means whereby the men can escape from the boat through anescape hatch without being subjected to pressure while-immersed in the Water for a longer period than is absolutelynecessary.` It is known to provide escape hatches in submarine boats, these hatches including a hatch trunkwhich extends downwardly a short distance into the compartment of the boat from the upper portion of the hull. In using these hatches the compartment is flooded until the water reachesthe lower orinner end of the hatch trunk and effects a seal therewith. Under Vsuch conditions the men inV the compartment are immersed in the water except for the upper portion of their bodies or their heads.y

This is not usually seriously objectionable as the men can quickly escape from the compartment andare not subjected to high pressure in the water for an injuriously long period of time. In cases where the injured boat is at such a depth that the crew can not safely escape through the hatch without the use of diving suits or other apparatus and it is necessary for the men to remain in the compartment for some time afterflooding thereof, this is objectionable. Ity has been found that aman can remain vin a compartment lled with compressedjair without suffering any ill effects therefrom for a much longer time than he can remain immersed in water under equal pressure. Thev water, at depths of 100 feet or more, such as that in which submarine boatsoperate, has a relatively low temperature. As a result, when the men'in the compartment of the submarine boat are immersed in this water under pressure they are quickly chilled and their vitality is materially lowered. In consequence, the prospects of aman reaching the surface safely after being immersed in this water under pressure for an appreciable time are materially vless than ifthe man were surrounded by com-V` pressed air, and not immersed inthe water.

No. 275,730.' Divided' and this application I y mea August 5, Serialk No. 383,632.- f

It alsobappears that the water, regardless of its relatively low temperature, has an effect on men immersed therein'under pressure which tends to quickly weaken-the men and' reduce their vitality'.

One of the main objects of my invention is to provide simple and ethcient meanswhereby themen in the'compartment of a disabled submarine `boatare enabled to remain in such compartment without being immersed f in water la-fter.the escape hatch :has .been openedfw. I`V 9 W j More specifically, my invention comprises an extensible hatch in conjunction with a well" disposed to freceive thelower end of the hatch' when extended, this well being disposed below the compartment 5 whereby the water does not rise intothe compartment when the well is flooded, the `men when escaping entering thiswell and passing there from into the hatch-trunk. With the hatch ful'lyextended'the men have a dry deck where they canv put on diving suits, and do not have tol enter the Vwater untilafter the diving suit has 1 beenk completely `applied and'A properl secured, and the man is ready to pass throug the hatch trunk to be transferred to the rescue ship. Furtherobjects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detailed descriptiornl *In'the drawings:

Figure 1 is asectionalview through' ahatchV structure constructed in accordance with my invention, the upper portion of thehu'll of the submarine boat "being shown Afragmentarily,"

parts being shown in elevation;

. Figure 2`i'sfa`tra'nsverse sectionalview through 'submarine boat of conventional type'showing a hatch structure constructed in accordance with myinventionas applied andextended; Y t "L Figure 3 is a vertical sectional viewf through the stuffing box for the hatch cover operating rod,-vparts being shown in elevation; y

Figure' 4 is a vertical sectional view through a hatch structure in accordance with my invention, tas applied and extended.

This application is a divisionrof my copending .application` for'escape .hatch Vfor submarines, Serial Number 275,730, filed May 7, 1928.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1, I provide a hatch structure which includes a trunk 1 which is ixedly/ secured to hull 2 of a submarine boatB. This trunk is provided at its upper end with an angle ring 3 to which is secured an angle ring 3a. The cover 4, pivoted at- 5 on ring 3a, has arms 6,

(Figure 4) extendingtherefrom these arms-Y' extending beyond the pintle 5 and being provided with slots 7n which receive a pin 7. rIhispin passes through an eye 8 at the upper end 'of an operating rod 9V slidably mounted through a stuiing box 10 secured through hull 2. The rod 9 is alsoY slidable through a guide collar 11 of a suitable bracket 12 secured to the inner face of hull 2, and is provided at its lower or inner end with a suitable head forming a handle 13, the rod being of IT-shape.` i

The scuttle or cover 4 is secured closed by a screw 14 secured thereto and passing through a scuttle bar 15 which engages beneath lugs4 16 extending from ring 3a., a hand nut 17 being threaded onto the screw 14 and bearing against the bar. By loosening nut- 17 and' turning bar 15 from beneath the lugs 16, the scuttle is released so as to be opened.,

In this connection, it is to be noted that the scuttle 4 can be opened and` closed independently of bar 9 which normally remains in its raised or inoperative position.

T o, insure proper engagement of eye 8 with pin- 7. suitable meansis provided for holding the rod 9 against turning movement. Such means may be of any lsuitable or preferred Construction. In Figure 34 I have illustrated theroct 9121s operating through stuihng box 10 which includes a. packing glandlS extending through an opening in the top ofV hull 2.4

Suitable nut-s 19 and 20 are screwed onto this gland and gaskets 21 and 22 are coninedbetween the nuts 19. and-f 20, respectively, and` the hull 2, these nuts being turnedtightlyinto` position to secure the packing glandrand to form a lg'uid tight closure between the Same and the hull.

Rod 9 also operates through a collar 23,a of a bracket 23y suitably secured to hatch trunk 1. A pin 24a is secured in collar 23a. This pin projects into a groove 24 formed in rod 9 and extending longitudinally thereof, and holds the rod against turning movement.

The bore of the packing gland 18 is enlarged at its inner portion to receive a packing 2,5, in a known manner, and a packing nut 26\ its snugly about rod 9 and screws i-nto the packing gland compressing the packingy about the rod 9 so as to provide a iiuid tight closure about the same. Vhen the scuttle or hatch bar 15 has been released so as to release the seuttle or cover 4, this cover may thenbe opened from within the compartmento' the submarine boat by pulling-down- `with an outer annular flange 31.

An angle ring 32 is secured to the lower end of trunk 40, and has secured thereto a fiat ring having a depending annular iiange 34 providing a seat for a lower cover or scuttle 35 hingedly mountedon ring 33 and secured closed by dogs 35.

i When the trunk structure is in its, normal non-extended or collapsed condition, the sections 27 and 28 are disposed within the main fixed section 1, in inverted position, with flange 31 seating on ring ,33 and iange seating against the under tace oi iiangc 31. Cap screws 3G pass through aligned openings in the lianges 30 and 31 and screw intoring 33 for detachably securing sections 27 and 28 thereto.

In the event that the submarine boat is disabled by collision or otherwise, and is unable to rise to the surface, the crew assembled in a compartment provided with a telescoping hatch structure in accordance with my invention. The lower hatch cover 35 is then released and opened. Cap screws 36 are then removed and the sections 27 and 28 are withdrawn from trunk 1. Section 27 is then inverted and secured, by means of flange 31 and screws 3G, to ring 33, and section 28 is similarly secured to fiange 29, which is now at theA lower end of section 27. In this connection, it will be noted that flange 30 is of proper width to seat against iiange 29, and is provided with openingsl for reception of cap screws 36,` such openings registering with threaded openings in i'iange 29. IVith the trunk in extended condition, vthe lower end: of section 28v thereof extends into the upper end of a well provided in hull 2 of the boat, which is of conventional construction andy includes the superstructure S.

After this has been done, compressed air is admitted to the compartment C either from a supply carried on board the submarine boat or from a salvage vessel, until the pressure inside oi the compartn'ient is equal to or slightly greater than the pressure of the water at the depth of the submarine. The outer hatch cover 4 is then opened by means of the rod 9 in the manner described, it being understood that hatch bar 15 is released and turned into inoperative position before extension ot the hatch trunk. Upon opening of the cover 4, the well 45 is flooded with gil 39 of this compartment and are notimmersed in the water.

In the event the depth at which the boat is submerged is too great for the men safely to attempt reaching the surface by passing upwardly through the hatch trunk and without the provision of a divingv suit7 a diver from a rescue ship at the surface enters the compartment C through the extended hatch trunk. This diver carries with him an additional divingsuit andhose,this additional suit Y being put on by one of the men tobe rescued who then enters the well 3S and passes into the hatch trunk, being raised to the surface in the usual manner. This operation is repeated until all of the men in the compartment have been rescued. In the event that the depth at which the boat is submerged is such that the men can safely attempt to reach the surface without the use of a diving suit or other apparatus, the men successively enter the well 45 and pass upwardly through the extended hatch trunk, swimming to the surface where they are rescued.

In either case, the men within the compartment C awaiting rescue are not immersedin the water and, consequently, do not have their vitality reduced thereby, thus very materially increasing the possibility ofrescue of such men. Y

The compartment C is also provided with web frames 50 adjacent the inner end of trunk section, these web frames forming air locks in a known manner in the event that the trunk cannot be extended. In such case, the escape trunk can be utilized for the escape of the men, as at present. In the event the boat is not .lying on an even keel, the hatch trunk can be extended until the lower or inner end thereof forms a seal with the water. in the compartment C, thus reducing as far as possible the extent to which the men are immersed in the water and, consequently, conserving the vitality of the men to this extent. Under most conditions, however, the boat will be on an even keel so that the extensible hatch trunk can be used in full extended position as illustrated in Figure 2 and the full benefits of this trunk and the well cooperating therewith may be had.

Preferably, each of the hatch covers 4 and 35 has associated therewith a counterbalancing spring 38 which acts, in a known manner to counterbalance the cover.

While I prefer to use two telescoping sections for extending the hatch trunk downwardly, but one section may be used where conditions warrant. In either case, the length of the trunk is materially increased so that a comparatively great volume of air is entrapped, suicient to permit escape through the trunk of men in the flooded compartment, while avoiding subjecting the men to high pressure when substantially fully submerged in water, which, as above pointed out, is highly obJectionable.

As above indicated, and as will be understood by those skilled in the art, changes in construction and arrangement of parts of my invention may be resorted to without departing from the iield and scope of the same, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which thepreferred form only of my invention is disclosed.

I claim: 1. Ina submarine boat, a hatch trunk, a removable cover for the outer end of the trunk, a tubular member fitting within the trunk and having a flange at one end, and means for detachably securing said iange to the lower end of the trunk.

Q. In a submarine boat, a hatch trunk, a removable cover for the outer end of the trunk, a plurality of tubular members fitting within the trunk and removable through the lower end thereof, and means for detachably A securing said Vmembers together and to the l lower end of the trunk.

3. In a submarine boat, a hatch trunk, a removable cover for the outer end of the trunk, a plurality of tubular members fitting within the Atrunk in telescoping 4relation thereto and to each other and removable through the lower end of said trunk, means for detachably securing said members together and to the lower end of the trunk, and means operable interior/ly of the hull for opening said hatch cover. r

4. In a submarine boat, a hatch trunk, a removable cover for the outer end of the trunk, a tubular member telescoping the trunk, a second tubular member telescoping the first tubular member, said tubular members being removable from the trunk through the lower end thereof, and means for detachably securmg said members together in extended relation and to the trunk in extended relation thereto.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 1st day of August, 1929.

HUGO E. GRIESHABER. 

